PITTSBURG – Pitt State Volleyball fans will finally get a chance to see their team in action at home this weekend as the Gorillas take on Northwest Missouri (14-0, 2-0 MIAA) on Friday, September 30 at 6 p.m. There will be a meet and greet and autograph session with the team immediately following the match. The Gorillas will open October with a 3 p.m. match against Missouri Western (10-4, 2-0 MIAA) on Saturday.
Pitt State comes into the weekend with a 2-12 record after playing its first 14 games on the road. The team lost its first two conference matches at Lindenwood and Central Missouri.
The Gorillas have a .136 attack percentage on the season and average 10.5 kills per set. The offense also adds almost one service aces per set. Defensively, the Gorillas get 14.7 digs per set and put down 1.6 blocks per set. Gorilla opponents average 12.7 kills, 1.5 aces, 15.5 digs and 1.7 blocks.
Peyton Walker is the Gorillas' leadning point scorer, averaging almost 3.0 points per set. She puts down 2.74 kps and is third on the team with 17 blocks on the season. Maggie Highberger adds 2.76 points per set with 2.48 kps, seven service aces, 12 blocks and 1.22 diigs per set. Zoey Qi adds 2.47 points, with 1.94 kps and 11.0 blocks. Lauren Regier adds 1.54 kills and 24.0 blocks and Taylor Unke has 1.14 kps with a team, leading 37.0 blocks. Taylor Wright leads the team with nine service aces, Cal VanBuskirk is just behind her with 8. Van Buskirk has been the team's primary setter of late with 6.38 assists per set. Kylie Farris has also seen time at setter with 4.42 assists per set.
Libero Ashlen Schwartz averages 3.65 digs per set. Lauren Maisberger adds 2.29 dps, while KJ Davis gets 2.14 and Raven Lawlor, 2.08 dps.
No. 20 Northwest Missouri is undefeated this season and sits at second in conference standings behind No. 3 Nebraska-Kearney. The team opened up MIAA play on the road last weekend, sweeping Southwest Baptist and Missouri Southern.
Maddy Bruder tops the conference in kills with 4.0 kills per set. Four other Bearcats contribute at least two per set: Darcy Sunderman, Jackie Becker, Alexis Williams and Miranda Foster. Sarah Dannettell paces the Bearcats with 10.1 assists per set. Headlining the defensive unit is Williams with 51 total blocks and Olivia Nowakoski with 4.2 digs per set. Bruder and Nowakowski have 16 total services aces a piece.
The team is collectively hitting a .251 clip while holding opponents to just .125. The Bearcats also compile 14.8 dps, 13.7 kps, 12.6 aps, and 2.2 blocks per set.
Missouri Western is 10-4 overall, 2-0 MIAA going into the weekend. The Griffons swept Missouri Southern and defeated Southwest Baptist in four sets last weekend. The team will face No. 12 Central Oklahoma on Friday before traveling to Pittsburg.
Rachel Friedrichs is a an all-around key contributor to Missouri Western. She records a .339 clip, 3.1 kps, 44 total blocks and 17 service aces on the season. Reigning MIAA Specialist of the Week Kortney Blaufuss dishes out 11.2 aps. Libero Kayla Ruff contributes 3.9 digs per set and a team-high 18 service aces.
As a team, the Griffons hit a .227 clip while holding opponents to just .175. Additionally, Missouri Western records 15.8 dps, 13.6 kps, 12.6 aps, 1.6 bps and one service ace per set.
